The Life of Freedom
5 Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. Galations 5:1
I took a couple of days this week to help my wife. We have this room that is so literally full of stuff since Maria died that the room became the place to take her stuff to when we were unable to handle the emotions of them. Many of us who go through tragedies, traumas in life will do the same thing. Pretty much everyone at some point in their lives will do the same thing.
Those once warm fuzzy possessions of our l loved one now become painful reminders of them that become forgotten and tossed in a room. To go into that room becomes impossible until you are ready. Some are able to successfully navigate through the memories of the past. Some are not, at least not for several years.
I knew a couple who were so distraught after the tragic loss of their daughter that they sold their house and moved just to avoid the pain of reminders of their loss. I knew another couple who paid other family members to pack their deceased child's possessions and move them to a storage room. A couple of decades later they still are not able to deal with her earthly possessions.
In my own grief journey I have realize that life is going to be hard and painful events will occur at different points in our lives; yet when they do we have a loving Savior who is willing to walk with us to help us navigate around those minefield of painful memories.
With Jesus help you no longer need those mind numbing activities to stop the pain. Addictions of every kind do not need to be kept up when we have God to help us heal.
In the process of decluttering that room I found this piece done by my wife years ago that best captures the lies we tell ourselves that keep us from moving forward in the healing process. I think it captures the essence of the God we serve.
1. God is good-Psalm 119:68 When things do not go right the enemy will move in and cause you to question God's goodness. The truth is regardless of your circumstances, regardless of what you feel God is good and everything he does is good.
a. when you feel from God and you are tempted to feel that he doesn't love you
b. When you feel ugly or fat- remember God created you as a masterpiece. Psalm 139:19 I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made
C. When I feel rejected. God accepts me through Christ. Ephesians 1:4-5
d,When you need more things and are consumed by desires. God is enough. Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want
e. When you feel anxious about your circumstances. Psalm 37:5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will act.
f.When I feel something has happened that will ruin my life forever. God doesn't make mistakes.Psalm 18:30
g When I feel my sin is too great to be forgiven.. The blood of Christ is sufficient to cover all my sin.
I John1:7
h.When I feel like my potential is limited by my past. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creature.
I. When I feel like I don't know where to turn for help and advice. Psalm 107:20
j.When I feel like God is asking me to do something that is impossible. Philippians 4:13
k. When I want to blame others for my responses. i am responsible before God for my behavior, responses and choices. Ezekiel 18:20
l.When I feel that submitting to an authority will steal my freedom. The greatest freedom I can experience is found by submitting to God ordained authority. Titus3:1
m.When I feel like giving up on the church. I need the church. 1 Corinthians 12:20-21, 25 There are many parts we are one body.
n. When I feel like a career is more rewarding and valuable than marriage and motherhood. In the will of God there is no higher calling than to be a wife and mother. As a guy, there is no greater calling than to be a father and husband to one woman.
o. When I become consumed with wanting God to fix my life. Ephesians 1:4-6 I Thessalonians 5:23
p. When I don't understand a difficult situation I am facing. It is impossible to be godly without suffering. 1 Peter 5:10
q. When I want things to go my way. It's not about me, it 's about HIm. Romans 11:36As the day ended and we saw a once overflowing room get bigger with spaces to walk between I could feel a huge lifting of burden from my shoulder. Taking that step and getting rid of the things too painful to process is true freedom in Christ.
Simple truths, yet so profound. No matter what profound event had occurred in your life Christ wants you to know that he is there to carry your burden and walk with your through life's journey
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